Spool



Feb. 17, 1931 w. c. MILLS 1,792,753

SPOOL Filed July 7. 1928 A WALLAOE Patented Feb. 17, 1931 O." MILIQs, Fnooxronn, ILLINO S, AssIGnoR T0 J. I. GLARKMANUFACTUR- Ineoo., orROCKFORD, ILLInoIs', A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SPOOL ApplicationfiledJu1y-f7, 1928. Serial No. 291,074.

The invention has-referenceto spools 0fthe type comprising a tubularcore'with substantially flat sheet metal heads secured upon oppositeends of the core. Thecoreiof such a spool. is commonlymade from a flatsheetof metal, and in fastening the heads onto the ends of the core the.joint formed between the meeting edges of the sheet constitutingthe'c'ore are aptto present sharp cutting I securing the head ontothe-core while atthe same-time'presenting a smooth uninterruptedsurface" at the end of the core. v

A further object is to provide a construc tion for the spool renderingit possible to manufacture fthe'same on an economical basis. r 1' 7 heforegoing objectsytogether with other and ancillary advantagesare'attained by the construction and arrangement shown in theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, it being contemplatedhowever, that vari ous changes may be made by those; skilled in the artwithoutideparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the drawings: V 5 Figure "1 isa-lside elevation ofa spool ofthe.characterreferred tol l Fig. 2is a central.vertical"sectional viewthrough one end of thefspool showing the parts assembled, but before theforming or interlocking operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar viewon a larger scale from a flat sheet of metalrolled into tubular form, the opposite ends ofthe sheetmeeting j Eachhead 8 is formed from a sheet of metal centrally apertured so as to forma fiat ring or disk the outer peripheral edge of which may be curled. asat 10 for finishing and strengthening purposes. The heads arecustomarily lithographed for. purposes of identifying the manufactureror to convey any other desired information, this, being done before theheads are assembled onto the endsrof the core.

Near each end the core is shaped to provide' an outwardly extendingbeadll leaving an end portion 12 projecting beyond the bead.

Fitting snugly over the end portion is a U- shaped part of an annulus 13formed from a flat sheet of metal and having prior toassembly an innerperipheral leg 14 and an outer peripheralleg 15. The inner legpreferably extends inwardly into the core beyond the bead 11 and theouterleg preferably terminates just short of the bead and has, in

the present instance,'formed thereon an outturned flange 16.

Eachof the spool heads Shas an internal diameter such as'to fit rathersnugly about the annulus 13 and more specifically about the outerperipheralleg thereof, and in the initial assembly of the parts the headis arranged to seat upon the outturned fiange 16.

With the parts thus assembled (Fig. 2)

the fastening ofthe heads onto the ends of thecore is accomplished bybending each annulus together with-the end portion 12 there- "in';outwardly fiat upon the head 8; as shown in 8; while at the sametimecompressing the-parts longitudinally of the axis of the core so asto flatten the bead and securely clamp the parts together. 1

It will be; observed from' Fig. 3 that by the constructionprovided anoutwardly opening groove is" formed between the flange 16 V and theperipheral leg 15of the annulus, in-

which the inner peripheral edge of the head is securely clamped.Similarly the end portion'l2 of the core becomes bent to form anoutwardly opening groove to receive the outer leg ofthe annulus doubledupon itself, withthe head therebetween as above set.

gether through the medium of the annulus,

all danger of stressing, breaking or otherwise injuring the metal of thehead and of the annulus is avoided. This is especiallyimportant from thestandpoint of economy in manufacture in that it enables the use ofordi-.

nary commercial stock sheet metal, simplifies the assembling andforming'opera ion, re-- duees the amount of scrap produced, insuresagainst distorting the printed or litho graphed surfaces of the heads,and avoids the necessity for using a lubricant on the dies where anexcessive amount of stressing must occur, it being necessarysubsequently to remove such lubricant.

If desired the heads may in the forming operation be ofi'set as at 17(Fig. 3) to receive the flattened head 11, the inner face of the latterbeing substantially flush with the inner face of the head.

As shown in Fig. 4:, the annulusmay in the case of some spools haveformed integral therewith an end wall 18. This wall in the presentinstance is shown connected to the inner leg 14 of the annulus by aninturned portion 19 and the end wall is disposed substantially in theplane of the curl 10 at the edge of the head 8. The wall 18 is centrallyapertured to receive an inner tubular memher 20 the ends of which areflanged outwardl v as at 21 so as to engage with the edges of theaperture in the'wall. This permits the mounting of the spools whendesired onsuitable pivotal supports and the portion of the end walls inthe plane of the head is desirable in that it permits oi the use ofshort end pivots which ofler very little obstruction to the placing ofthe spool on the pivots.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spool comprising a core formed from a flat sheet of metal and bentinto tubular form, heads at opposite ends of the core, each end of thecore being constructed to form a shoulder and an end portion projectingfrom the shoulder, an annulus having a U-shaped portion fitting snuglyover said end portion,

said head comprising a centrally apertured disk encircling the annulusand held by said shoulder against movement inwardly of the core, and theend portion of the core together with said U-shaped portion of theannulus being bent outwardly with one leg of said U-shaped portionbearing directly on said disk.

2. A spool comprising a core, an annulus having a portion U-shaped inform and fitting over one end of the core with an inner leg extendedinto the core and anouter leg havingan outturned flange, and a head inthe .formed from a flat-sheetof metal, an annulus having a portionU-shaped in form and fitting over one end of the core, said core havinga bead thereon near said end, and said U-shaped portionhaving aflangeadjacent said head, and a head comprising a disk centrally apertured andadapted to rest upon said flange, said U-shaped portion of the annulustogether with the end portion of the core therein being bent. outwardlyupon said head soasto clamp the same together with said flange upon-saidbead.

4. A spool formed of sheet :metal and comprising a core, a head,.and anannulus interlocked with the head and the; core, saidcore being bent toprovide an outwardly opening groove to receive a portion-of the annulus,and said portion of the annulus in turn being shaped to provide anoutwardly opening groove to :receive the inner peripheral edge ofthehead.

5. A. spool comprising a core, a head, and an annulus interlocked with.the head and. the core, said annulus having a part bentto. form aninwardly openinggroove to receive the end portion of the core and anoutwardly opening groove to receive the inner peripheral edgeof thehead.

6. A spool having a core, a head on one end of the" core, and an annulusconnecting the head to the core,said annulus havinga por- .fiat sheet ofmetal bent into tubular form,

means forming a. shoulder near the end of the core, a head in the formofa centrally apertured disk, said Core having its end bent out wardly,and an annulus. having a portion, clamped directly between the head andsaid outwardly'bent portion of the core and curled around the end of thecore so as to extend a substantial distance into the core, said headbeing held against movement inwardly of the core by said shoulder.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

l/VALLACE C. 'MILLS.

